Chapter 2 : On that fateful night

It was a rather uneventful day for Flavius - the usual swordsmanship training from Marcus, the lessons in magic by Aetherius and the evening spent playing with Lucius & his small group of friends. 

As Flavius headed towards the dining hall for dinner, tremors from the aftermath of a massive explosion caused an earthquake felt throughout the nation. The people of the palace were frightened due to this mishap, driven in a frenzy and panicking to escape.

At this very moment, an urgent message from an Imperial Guard arrived at the palace. The messenger was severely hurt, his armor torn and hands bleeding. Nevertheless, he had hurried on horseback as swiftly as possible to carry crucial information to the King.

"Y-Your Majesty! A massive army of demons has just landed on the Western Coast and have already ravaged the cities of Mysaea and Mare Nostrum! The army is led by Demon Lord Morgrath, who is leading his armies to our capital as we speak!"

The King was visibly shocked, but maintained his composure, knowing very well that the life of his subjects and his people had been entrusted in his hands.

"Do not panic! It will only do more harm than good. Announce a national emergency & begin relief operations. Begin stockpiling food and medical resources to be distributed immediately and send messengers to warn all cities of the incoming attack."

"Marcus, assemble the Royal Guard and summon all able-bodied Imperial soldiers to be ready to fight, as soon as possible. Also make an urgent request to the Mercenary Guild to send reinforcements. Do not engage in any direct combat; instead, lure the enemy closer to the Capital, while issuing orders to evacuate the neighboring towns, at the same time, persistently chipping away at them via light skirmishes along the way."

"Aetherius, assist Marcus in assembling magicians, healers and support members for the army. Also mobilize the Lucidian Magic Squad immediately, to defend the Navy from any attacks from the Demon Lord's forces."

"Quintus, guide the Lucidian Navy to amass ships, repurpose any available merchant ships into naval ships & begin preparations for the evacuation of civilians."

"Heronius, begin inspecting the castle's defences and enchant the walls to withstand offensive magic for as long as possible."

"Time is of utmost essence here. All land-holding vassals are ordered to contribute to the war effort by sending soldiers, knights & healers from their respective domains. Get to work, we have no time to waste panicking!"

"As you command, Your Majesty!"

The King's subjects set out in haste to carry out the King's orders. The King's prudence & timely decisions successfully delayed the advance of the Demon Lord's armies, who were taken by surprise by the sudden Lucidian assault, which inflicted significant casualties on the Demon Lord's forces - since they were mostly defenseless while primarily focused on looting and were definitely not expecting an assault at night from an inferior force. 

This skilled maneuver carried by Marcus brought the Lucidian Navy crucial time to assemble, repair old ships & repurpose new ships. It also allowed the healers to easily tend to the wounded, as well as brought time to organize & execute the evacuation plans for civilians. Nevertheless, Marcus considered it very lucky that his forces did not encounter the Demon Lord himself - else his army could have faced far more heavy losses.

The aristocrats had surprisingly heeded the King's orders without much hesitation. Far more many of them showed up at the King's palace - proclaiming that they had an epiphany & wished to repent for their past mistakes. The King, though slightly suspicious of this, did not take any precautions - for he genuinely hoped that they could find common ground to resolve this disastrous catastrophe.

But alas, what the nobility had in mind was the exact opposite of what Scipio wished for - they had gathered together to revolt against his reign, feigning a hypocritical façade of loyalty & then getting rid of him when his powerful loyal vassals are busy completing their respective tasks.

 The plan was developed by none other than the two most powerful duxes in the Kingdom - Dux Decimus Longinus & Dux Cassius Ligarius, the de facto leaders of the aristocrats who opposed the King. The idea was presenting Scipio's dead body to the Demon Lord - in exchange for pardoning their lives & reaffirming their ruling rights over their respective domains.

"We beseech you, O wise & benevolent King! Please pardon us for our foolish mistakes we may have committed in the past! As repentance, we promise to aid you wholeheartedly in this time of crisis" said Decimus, with a heavy voice, leaning his head in a servile manner, while he secretly glanced at the King with a deceitful smile.

"Rise, Dux Decimus. This is the time to reconciliate our differences. Let us forego past rivalries, to save Lucidia & its people from imminent destruction!" said Scipio, hopeful that his vassals would cooperate with him enthusiastically.

Just as the King turned around towards his throne, Decimus unveiled his hidden dagger and stabbed Scipio at the lower back. He was followed by Cassius, who stabbed his lower leg. 

"What are you doing, you treacherous vermin! Do you have no sense of honor?" yelled Queen Marcia, rushing to aid the King, trying to heal his wounds. She was horrified at the blatant show of violence and the hypocrisy of the aristocrats.

"Stay out of this, woman!" retorted Decimus, his eyes fixated on the King, determined to end his life.

The other nobles who had joined the conspiracy followed suit, stabbing the unsuspecting King 7 times, before an extremely enraged Scipio blew aside the traitors with a powerful Flame Blast. 

"It seems that the Sun will rise from the West before you hypocritical retards realize the errors of your deeds" said a bleeding Scipio, barely holding on to his breath.

The nobility was taken unaware by this sudden counterattack, but began casting Water magic to weaken the flames. Scipio, though weakened by the wounds, continued to fight bravely, using magic & his skills in combat to take down many traitors single handedly.

"Come on! Is this all what you've got?" said Scipio, taunting them to attack. 

He knew he had to buy time till his loyal retainers arrive at the Palace. The sudden fires would have alarmed them that something is amiss - indeed, they were already on their way to the Royal Throne.

But Decimus successfully reinvigorates the morale of the aristocrats, urging them to fight & finish the King once and for all.

"My companions, remember we have gathered here for a noble cause - to get rid of the tyrant King Scipio & his incompetent son Flavius. Sic Semper Tyrannis!" said Decimus, as he skillfully maneuvers through Scipio's magic spells & deals the final blow, striking through his chest.

The Queen watched helplessly as she was struck with a sword from behind, by Cassius. She died, weeping for her severely wounded husband and prayed to the Gods for the safety of their child.

"Sic Semper Tyrannis!" chanted the traitors, in unison, proclaiming the liberation of the Lucidian people from the tyranny of King Scipio. The regicide had been successful. King Scipio was on his last breath, barely holding on to his consciousness by pretending to be dead. His death was imminent and he knew it well. 

The conspirators, fearing for their lives, immediately fled the throne room. Marcus, who had rushed with all his might to the Throne, was unfortunately, too late. He found the King barely holding on to his consciousness, lying in a pool of his own blood, while the once beautiful Queen now laid lifeless, next to Scipio, holding on to his hand. Scipio was bleeding heavily, his body covered in deep dagger wounds everywhere on his body.

Marcus immediately headed towards the King & Queen, his eyes bawling with tears, his heart full with sorrow. Aetherius & Antoninus soon arrived, but were heartbroken at the pitiable sight of their powerful King and the lifeless Queen.

"My dear vassals, I entrust Lucidia & its future to you. Make sure to protect Flavius; the nobility are after him. I thank you for your loyal service throughout...….. but I'm afraid this is goodbye. Take good care of my son, on my behalf....this is my last request."

Flavius arrived in a hurry, rushing with all his might, just as his father was about to leave the mortal realm forever.

"Father.....No way....What happened to you.....Who did this to you?" said a teary-eyed Flavius as he rushed to his father's side.

"Mother? No way, tell me this isn't true.....Tell me I'm having a bad nightmare. Right, Marcus? Right?"

"Oh, my dear son....forgive me, I could not save Marcia....but you must move on, son. The people...need your help. Take this as a parting gift from me...." said Scipio, as he removed a ring from his finger and entrusted it to Flavius.

"Go, my son.....You have endless potential....you must do what has to be done..." after uttering these words, the King's hand fell lifelessly on the floor, Scipio entered the heavenly abode.

The once powerful Scipio Aemilius, who struck fear in his enemies & inspired a feeling of respect & admiration among his soldiers, now lied dead along with his wife, stabbed by treacherous vassals who wanted to save their skin from the wrath of the Demon Lord.

Flavius wept uncontrollably, his heart full of grief, regret & anger. He was in profound sorrow and his grief inconsolable. He stood up, his heart burning with the desire for revenge - and took an oath with the Gods as witnesses - that he will surely avenge the death of his parents & the destruction of his Kingdom. 

"My father will be remembered as a great man. Let us honour his last wishes, so that he may depart for Elysium without any regrets" said Flavius, having solidified his determination to rescue the innocents who needed help.

The Four Loyal Vassals—Marcus Fabius, Aetherius, Quintus Antoninus, and Heronius—had stood by Flavius' father until the end, grief-stricken at the tragic loss of the King they had sworn to protect. They had rallied to fulfill Scipio's last wishes—to rescue Flavius and guide the civilians to the safety of the sea, to the lands beyond. Their hearts heavy with sorrow at the loss of their beloved King, they had now entrusted Scipio's rightful heir, with the weight of their hopes and dreams.

After securing control of the palace, Scipio & the few remaining loyal Lucidian nobles immediately began discussing plans to deal with the invasion.

"I'm afraid, as things currently are, we have no chance to win at direct combat, my Lord" said Comes Maximus, a loyal retainer from the Eastern Coast. 

"Correct. A direct confrontation will be hugely disadvantageous. We must prioritize the evacuation efforts."

"Assemble the Lucidian Army and divide them into four legions, each tasked with securing & defending the port cities of Gemae, Lystriana, Melphis & Tyrrhenicum."

 "After the civilians escape aboard the ships of the Lucidian Navy, we shall feign a retreat, luring the demons to switch their focus from combat to looting & pillaging. After we regroup, recover & restock our forces, we shall begin a counterattack. Following this, we shall retreat in good order & board the ships, too" ordered Flavius.

"Aetherius, when the demon army arrives near the cities, I hope you can slow their advance by casting strong explosions. Also, can you take countermeasures against the flying demons?" 

"Most certainly, Your Highness. Though if there are too many flying demons, I may not be of much help. But I shall assist you to the best of my abilities."

"Marcus, you take joint command of the center, comprising of the legions at Melphis & Lystriana. Aetherius, you shall take command of the left flank, consisting of the legion at Gemae. I will personally take command of the right flank - the legion stationed at Tyrrhenicum, as well as the mercenary reinforcements arriving from the Guild."

"As you command, your Highness. I shall make preparations for the same immediately."

Flavius and his comrades immediately set forth for the four port cities on the Eastern Coast, where the Lucidian Navy was almost finished with evacuating the civilians, thanks to Marcus' efforts in delaying the advance of the Demon Lord's massive army, as well as the latter's greater propensity for pillaging rather than fighting.

Flavius gathered all able-bodied soldiers, mercenaries, healers & magicians together, in front of the city of Lystriana. He had gathered them for a riveting speech, in order to boost their morale & soothe their fears before they engage in battle.

"Soldiers, today we fight not just for our emperor or our country, but for our families and for our freedom. We fight for our loved ones who have entrusted us with their safety and for the future that we wish to build for ourselves and for generations to come."

"I am well aware that you are afraid. You fear for your lives and for the uncertainty of the battle that lies ahead. I understand this overwhelming sensation too very well. But what sets us apart is our ability to overcome fear and to stand steadfast in the face of adversity. Let the enemy fear Lucidian resilience & fortitude, even in the face of inevitable defeat!"

"We are Lucidian soldiers. We are the protectors of our land and the defenders of our people. We may not have anticipated such a destructive calamity descending upon our nation, but we have honed our skills and sharpened our swords. We must be confident & mentally prepared to face the enemy, even if they are numerically superior."

"Remember that we are not alone in this battle, we fight alongside our brothers in arms. We fight for each other, for our families who are waiting for us, for the people standing in front of us & the innocent civilians who are relying on us to protect them!"

Flavius paused for a while and took a deep breath. His eyes scanned the faces of the soldiers before him, looking for any signs of fear or doubt. He saw none. Instead, he saw a fire burning in their eyes- a determination to protect their loved ones and fight for their country.

"Lucidians, let us march forward with confidence and vigor. Let us show our enemies what it means to be a true Lucidian warrior. Let us make this battle a testament to your might. For today, we make history. Today, we fight for our own people! So, I implore you to lend me your strength! So, men, are you with me?" 

“If you feel the way I do, follow me! To victory!"

"TO VICTORY!!" screamed the crowd passionately, as they too raised their swords high, reaffirming their dedication, shouting at the top of their voices, ready to charge towards their enemy

They marched forward in unison, their battle cries echoing across the field. This fierce discipline & high morale displayed by the Lucidian soldiers bewildered the demon armies, who had just arrived after an exhausting forced march from the Western Coast and were effectively leaderless, due to Morgrath being invited to attend a meeting with the "Liberators".

The battle was fierce, as the enemy outnumbered the 10,000 strong Lucidian forces by more than 3:1, yet the terrain advantage, higher morale & Aetherius' powerful magic ensured that the Lucidian defence was very difficult to break through. Flavius threw himself into the heat of the battle, slaying enemies with his masterful swordsmanship & newfound teleporting abilities. The enemies were stunned by Flavius' speed and his successful evasion of the most deadly attacks. Lucius continued assisting Flavius, his powerful barriers protecting both Flavius as well as other Lucidian soldiers from volleys of magic spells as well as aerial assaults from flying demons.

Aetherius succeeded in routing the right flank of the enemy and then immediately unleased the fury of the legions on the enemy's exposed center. Encircled on both sides, they were utterly defeated, which led to a general rout - resulting in a stunning victory for the Lucidian army against all odds, despite significant losses for the Lucidian army.

The soldiers were elated at the brilliant victory they had just achieved. They felt immense gratitude & respect towards the young Prince, who had maintained his composure in this times of crisis, raised their morale & led them to victory against a fearsome enemy.

Flavius felt a huge sense of relief fall over him. He was weary & exhausted, his mana almost drained completely, but he knew that much more had to be done, and so he ordered the men to search for any civilians left over in the cities - he himself joining the rescue effort.

As Flavius was wandering in the outskirts of Gemae, he found a beautiful young woman, with elegant blonde hair & emerald green eyes, in a desperate situation, trying to avoid being killed by a dozen demons surrounding her.

"Somebody HELP! Please, anybody, help me!" she shrieked, her voice full of fear & anxiety.

"Haha, no one's going to save you know, girl!" said one of the demons, ready to draw his sword.

"Halt right there!" said Flavius, his hand outstretched. He immediately garners the attention of the demons, who temporarily forget about the young woman. 

Flavius rushes towards the demons, ready to strike them down with his sword. He skillfully parries & dodges attacks from the front, left & right, despite being cornered, fatigued & alone. But he could not use his signature ability - for he had almost completely used up his mana reserves and risked suffering from the dreaded Blue Veins.

Flavius defended the young girl with a ferocity of a cornered lion, maintaining his composure & willpower to defend till the very end. He himself didn't know why he was risking his very life for a complete stranger - but his instincts urged him to protect her at all costs. 

But he was too battered to continue fighting and knew that his defeat was inevitable if help doesn't arrive. Regardless, he musters up his strength for one last heroic charge, taking down four demons alone, but is stabbed in the back by the fifth one. The wound was fatal. Flavius bled heavily, wailing in agony and lied down, as the demons now turned their attention towards the girl.

"Is this the end? I couldn't save anyone - neither my parents, nor this young girl. I'm sorry, mother...father....I wish I were stronger...I want strength to defend the people precious to me.....I cannot leave my oath unfulfilled...." thought Flavius, as he was losing his consciousness due to excessive loss of blood....